Christopher Nolan - Inception - The Shooting Script

INT. FILTHY BATHROOM — DAY

Cobb’s AWAKE, GULPING AIR, getting his bearings.

Saito SMASHES into the room, KNOCKING Nash down— Cobb LAUNCHES himself out of the tub, FLYING dripping wet across the room to SLAM Saito against the door — the gun DROPS, Cobb’s fist CONNECTS with Saito’s jaw and the struggle is over.

INT. DILAPIDATED HOTEL ROOM — MOMENTS LATER

Cobb, wet but composed, sits, turning Saito’s gun in his hand. Nash holds Saito’s arms behind him. Outside, the sounds of RIOTING grow louder.

COBB

You came prepared.

SAITO

I bring the gun because not even my head of security knows this apartment. How did you find it?

Arthur, at the window, looks out at the WORSENING VIOLENCE.

COBB

Hard for a man in your position to keep a love nest totally secret… particularly when there’s a married woman involved.

SAITO

She would never…

COBB

And yet, here we are.

Saito is silent.

COBB

With a dilemma.

SAITO

You got what you came for.

COBB

Not quite. The key piece of information wasn’t there, was it, Mr. Saito?

Arthur looks over at Cobb, worried.

ARTHUR

They’re getting closer, Cobb.

CUT TO:

INT. BULLET TRAIN COMPARTMENT — DAY

Todashi slips a pair of HEADPHONES over Nash’s ears, then pulls out an MP3 player and we—

CUT TO:

INT. DILAPIDATED HOTEL ROOM — DAY

Saito’s eyes are on the floor.

COBB

You held something back because you knew what we were up to…

Cobb uses the barrel of the gun to raise Saito’s chin.

COBB

So why let us in at all?

Saito smiles, defiant. VIOLENT NOISES echo up the stairway…

SAITO

An audition.

COBB

Audition for what?

SAITO

It doesn’t matter. You failed.

COBB

I extracted all the information you had in there.

SAITO

But your deception was readily apparent.

And we—

CUT TO:

INT. BULLET TRAIN COMPARTMENT — DAY

Todashi opens the SILVER BRIEFCASE, revealing the complex mechanism of syringes and controllers — FOUR CONTROLLERS DISPLAY COUNTDOWNS.

Todashi waits for the first countdown to hit “30,” then HITS PLAY on the MP3 player— He watches Nash’s sleeping face as he RAISES the volume…

Through Nash’s headphones: the opening bars of Edith Piaf’s “Non, je ne regrette rien,” and we—

CUT TO:

INT. DILAPIDATED HOTEL ROOM — DAY

In the distant background, strange MASSIVE low-end MUSICAL start, sounding like DISTANT HORNS…

SAITO

So leave me and go.

COBB

You know the corporation who hired us won’t accept failure. We won’t last two days…

The DISTANT, SLOWED-DOWN MUSIC is becoming LOUDER, as are the SHOUTS coming up the stairs. Arthur looks at his watch, its SLOW SECOND TICKING MARKS TIME WITH THE MASSIVE MUSIC.

ARTHUR

Come on, Cobb.

COBB

So now I have to do this the old-fashioned way—

Cobb GRABS SAITO AND PUTS HIS HEAD TO THE FLOOR, gun pressed into his cheek. Saito looks into Cobb’s eyes — sees he will pull the trigger. Saito BLINKS, looks away in shame— When he NOTICES SOMETHING. And starts LAUGHING.

SAITO

I’ve always hated this carpet.

Cobb’s eyes flick to the carpet and back.

SAITO

It’s stained and frayed in such distinctive ways…

Cobb looks up at Nash, who shrugs, at a loss.

SAITO

But very definitely made of wool . Right now I’m lying on polyester.

Cobb glares at Nash, and we—

CUT TO:

INT. BULLET TRAIN COMPARTMENT — DAY

Todashi watches the first of the countdowns hit ZERO— He looks up at Arthur, STIRRING, and we—

CUT TO:

INT. DILAPIDATED HOTEL ROOM — DAY

Saito turns from the carpet to look up at Cobb.

SAITO

Which means I’m not lying on my carpet, in my apartment…

(smiles)

You’ve lived up to your reputation, Mr. Cobb… I’m still dreaming.

Cobb looks over to Arthur, but ARTHUR HAS VANISHED, and we—

CUT TO:

INT. BULLET TRAIN COMPARTMENT — DAY

Arthur’s eyes flicker open, AWAKE. He RIPS at his tubes.

TODASHI

How’d it go?

ARTHUR

Not good.

Arthur checks the remaining three countdowns, and we—

CUT TO:

INT. DILAPIDATED HOTEL ROOM — DAY

Saito gets to his feet, looking admiringly at Cobb.

SAITO

A dream within a dream— I’m impressed.

Cobb lowers the gun. Defeated. Glances at his watch. The music REVERBERATES, the RIOTERS BANG ON THE DOOR, and we—

CUT TO:

INT. BULLET TRAIN COMPARTMENT — DAY

Arthur retracts the tubes into the case as he watches the next countdown hit ZERO, and we—

CUT TO:

INT. DILAPIDATED HOTEL ROOM — DAY

Another BANG on the door— Saito, confident now, approaches Cobb. Nash is behind Saito.

SAITO

But in my dream, we really ought to be playing by my rules…

NASH

Ah, yes, but you see, Mr. Saito—

Saito turns to Nash—

COBB

We’re not in your dream—

Saito turns back to Cobb, BUT COBB HAS VANISHED—

NASH

We’re in mine.

Saito SPINS back to Nash — the DOOR SMASHES OFF ITS HINGES AS RIOTERS POUR INTO THE ROOM, SWARMING OVER NASH… BUT NASH IS GONE. The music DIES. Saito and the rioters stand there in the SILENCE, the light DWINDLING… and we—

CUT TO:

INT. BULLET TRAIN COMPARTMENT — DAY

Nash’ eyes open, AWAKE.

ARTHUR (O.S.)

Asshole!

Nash BLINKS. Arthur is in his face, furious.

ARTHUR

How could you get the carpet wrong?!

NASH

It wasn’t my fault!

ARTHUR

You’re the architect—

NASH

I didn’t know he was going to rub his damn cheek on it!

Cobb pulls Arthur away from Nash.

COBB

Lets go.

ARTHUR

And you — what the hell was all that?

COBB

I had it under control.

ARTHUR

I’d hate to see out of control—

COBB

There’s no time for this— I’m getting off at Kyoto.

ARTHUR

Why? He’s not gonna search every compartment.

COBB

I can’t stand trains.

Arthur moves to the briefcase. Turns a dial.

ARTHUR

I can keep him under for one minute—

Arthur hits a button — A PLUNGER DEPRESSES. Cobb RIPS the tape off Saito’s wrist, ROLLS up his tubes. Arthur SLAMS the silver case shut. Todashi pulls open the door-

COBB

Every man for himself.

Arthur and Nash EXIT, heading in different directions down the corridor. Cobb hands Todashi a thick roll of CASH, looks at Saito, who stirs. Cobb moves off.

EXT. JAPANESE COUNTRYSIDE — CONTINUOUS

The BULLET TRAIN speeds through the lush landscape.

INT. BULLET TRAIN COMPARTMENT — CONTINUOUS

Saito WAKES GENTLY. Looks around the compartment, empty but for Todashi, reading a comic. Saito looks down at his wrist.

Sees a small mark. Rubs it. SMILES.

EXT. TOKYO — DUSK

Moving over the vast city towards a high rise. A HELICOPTER thumps into frame, heading for a pad on the roof.

INT. APARTMENT, TOKYO — CONTINUOUS

Cobb sits, waiting. Checks his watch, restless. He pulls a HANDGUN. Checks it is loaded. places it on the table in front of him. Pulls out a PEWTER SPINNING TOP, SPINS it on the table… He INTENT STUDIES the top’s spin… As he stares, the sound of a FREIGHT TRAIN builds and builds — the top WOBBLES, TIPS onto its side — the sound of the train STOPS.

The PHONE RINGS — Cobb GRABS it—

CHILDREN’S VOICES (over phone)

Hi, Daddy! Hi, Dad.

COBB

Hey, guys. How are you?

CHILDREN’S VOICES (over phone)

Good. Okay, I guess.